Shoulder Pain a Common Ailment

Shoulder Pain a Common Ailment

Whether
caused by an accident or overuse, shoulder pain can limit your activities. It
is also a common ailment that patients report to their medical provider.

The
shoulder has a wide range of motions and is used in everything from throwing a
ball to picking an item off the ground. With multiple bones, tendons and
muscles working together to provide a full-range of movement, diagnosing and
treating shoulder pain can get complicated.

People
can experience constant shoulder pain or just while doing a certain movement.
Pain intensity can also vary in its intensity. Shoulder pain is usually related
to one of four causes: tendon inflammation (bursitis or tendinitis) or tendon tear,
instability, arthritis or fracture.

If
the shoulder pain is intense and caused by an injury, seek medical attention as
soon as possible. In addition, if the shoulder pain is accompanied by chest or
back pain, it could be the sign of a heart attack so seek medical attention
immediately.

For
less severe shoulder pain, patients can try several remedies at home, including
icing the area for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day, taking an
anti-inflammatory pain reliever and resting the shoulder. If those efforts do
not help and the area is swelling, tender and warm around the joint or the pain
worsens, then it’s time to see a medical provider.

A
medical provider will carefully examine the shoulder and ask questions about
the pain, including how long it has been present, any injuries, history of
arthritis or repetitive motions. From there, some additional tests, including
an x-ray, MRI or CT scan, may be needed to diagnose the exact cause of the
pain. If those tests do not identify the cause of the pain, a doctor may
perform arthroscopy surgery, a procedure to help identify soft tissue injuries
that did not show up on other tests. In some cases, arthroscopy can be used to
correct the problem.

The
treatment for shoulder pain depends on the cause and severity of the pain. The
good news is that an estimated 90 percent of patients with shoulder pain will
not need surgery. In addition to surgery, here are some additional ways
shoulder pain can be treated:

Physical therapy: These are simple exercises
to strengthen and stretch the shoulder muscles and rotor cuff tendons. The
therapist can show you how to do them correctly and then you can continue them
at home.

Sling: A medical provider may recommend a
sling for some injuries since the shoulder may just need time to rest and
recover.

While
shoulder pain may be common – and becomes more likely as you age – it can be
successfully treated so people can resume their activities.